The current funding formula for cyber charter schools in particular bears no relationship to the actual instructional costs of the distance learning program; and the cyber charter school funding formula in the Public School Code is based on the sending school district’s prior year budgeted expenditures per average daily membership minus certain budgeted expenditures of the district of residence.

The West Shore School District’s cyber charter school expenditures since 2009-2010 reflect extraordinary costs that were borne by its taxpayers as follows.  

 

Fiscal Year	Regular Education Tuition Paid by the District to Cyber Charter Schools	Special Education  Tuition Paid by the District to Cyber Charter Schools	Total Tuition Paid by the District to Cyber Charter Schools
2009-2010*	$1,000,218	$428,665	$1,428,883
2010-2011*	$1,184,191	$507,510	$1,691,701
2011-2012	$1,427,007	$611,574	$2,038,581
2012-2013	$1,898,114	$492,993	$2,391,107
2013-2014	$2,084,546	$521,136	$2,605,682
2014-2015*	$2,320,000	$580,000	$2,900,000
2015-2016	$1,732,404	$994,648	$2,727,052
2016-2017	$1,998,749	$1,175,253	$3,174,002
2017-2018	$2,131,303	$1,324,801	$3,456,104

  *estimated figures based on available data

 

At its meeting on Thursday, March 21, 2019, the Board adopted the following resolution supporting Senate Bill 34 and House Bill 526 (available as attachments below) for school districts providing their own cyber learning program. 

 

 

Resolution by the West Shore School Distict Board of School Directors 

Whereas, a growing number of school districts across the state are responding to the need to successfully operate high-quality, full-time cyber education programs within their traditional district programs that provide flexibility and personalized options as a choice for students and families; and

Whereas, school district cyber programs include rigorous curriculum aligned with the state academic standards and taught by appropriately certified teachers; and school districts can provide their cyber education students with regular and special education instruction and services, tutoring, career counseling and other support as necessary; and

Whereas, cyber education programs operated by school districts provide students with a smooth transition to and from the traditional school setting; and give students opportunities to participate in district instructional courses and resources; and students may choose to participate in extracurricular activities such as athletics, band, music, clubs and social activities such as homecoming and prom; and students may graduate in district ceremonies and receive a district diploma; and

Whereas, the Commonwealth is the sole authorizer of cyber charter schools, yet the tuition costs for students attending these schools are borne by school districts and local taxpayers; and

Whereas, the majority of cyber schools have consistently placed in the bottom 5% for educational performance in the state; further, graduation rates of cyber charters are consistently and substantially below state average; and

Whereas, the current funding formula for cyber charter schools is based on school district expenditures with no relationship to the actual instructional costs for regular and special education instruction and services of the students attending the charter school; and funding of cyber charter schools cost school districts and taxpayers more than $463 million in 2016-17; and

 

Whereas, school districts that operate high-performing cyber programs can do so at significantly reduced costs as compared to paying tuition to a cyber charter school, enabling them to retain critical funding in the district for the benefit of all students; and

Whereas, Senate Bill 34 and House Bill 526 supports school districts that provide their own cyber education programs by removing the financial responsibility for resident students who enroll in cyber charter schools instead of the districts' programs;

 

Now therefore, be it resolved that the West Shore School Board supports Senate Bill 34 and House Bill 526 or other efforts to provide a fiscally commonsense approach that will provide savings for school districts operating full-time, online learning programs and are required to make tuition payments for their students to attend cyber charter schools.

 

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be submitted to the elected senators and representatives of the West Shore School District in the General Assembly, and to the Governor of Pennsylvania.